Time-controlled coasting-indicating device for cars or trains.



W. A. d; C. W. HALL. TIME GONTBOLLBDAGOASTING INDIGATING DEVICE PoR GARS o TRAINS.

APPLICATION FIILED MAR.20, 1911. 1,1 16,41 8. Patented Nov.10, 1914.

WVM/wwe@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l WALTER A. HALL AND CHARLES W. HALL. OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO RAIL- WAY IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

` Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed March 20, 1911. l Serial N0. 615,532..

To all whom it may ccm-cern Be it known that we,-WALTER A. HALL and CHARLES W. HALL, citizens of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have made a certain new and useful invention -in Time-Controlled Coasting-Indicating Devices for Cars or Trains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices and apparatus for use in indicating the time consumed by a car or train While and during the travel of the car or train after current has been cut ofi' from the car or train propelling motor or motors.

The object of the invention is to provide means for automatically arresting the operation of the indicating mechanism referred to after a definite interval. of time from the commencement of the indicating operation. A further object of the invention is to provide an indicating mechanism for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of cars or trains, and to control the operation of such indicating mechanism automatically by a dash-pot arrangement adjusted to become effective after a. predetermined time interval of' operation of the indicating mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

T he invention vconsists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be lnore fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l shows in diagram a dashfpot control arrangement embodying the principles of our invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing a portion ofvindicating mechanism adapted to use in connection with our invention.

In the practical operation of street or other cars. railway trains or the like. after the operating! power is shut off from the car or train propelling motor, in coming to a stop, the train or ca r coastsv or drifts without any other propelling power than its own momentum. The 'time consumed during this coasting or drifting travel of the car or train represents a'saving of current or other power employed to operate the train or car.

Indicating devices or mechanism for indicating the coasting or drifting period or travel of cars or trains have been devised land 1n operation.

In the use of such devices it is important to provide means for setting the indicating mechanism in operation only When the propelling power medium is shut oii", and for arresting the indicating mechanism when the car or train completes its coasting or drifting travel or after a definite time interval following the shutting off of the propelling power medium.

Our present invention relates more particularly to the provision of means for automatically arresting the operation of the coasting or drifting period indicating apparatus after the lapse of a definite interval of time from theshutting ofi' of the propelling motor current or other powerjmedium. y

In carrying' out our invention We propose to associate with the coasting indicating mechanism control devices therefor and to control the controlling devices by means of an adjustable dash-pot arrangement Whereby the indicating mechanism may be arrested after the desired interval of time, which may be calculated and predetermined to suit operating conditions.

In the drawing reference sign B, designates a portion of the coasting or drifting with which our invention is employed. The specific construction of indicating mechanism is not of material consequence so far as our present invention is concerned and therefore' in the specific details thereof is not required' to be described or shown.

A magnet C, is arranged to control the starting and stopping ,of the indicating mechanism. The circuit of this control magnet is arranged to be controlled, that is, to be opened or closed independently and automatically whenever current is supplied yto the car 'or train propelling motor, to in- .period indicating mechanism 1n connection with respect 85: jnstably regulated.

andere sure the arrest of the indicating mechanism during the operation of the car or train under normal operating condition. rl`his is accomplished through the operation of a relay magnet D. Current is supplied to the relay magnet from any suitable or convenient source, the only condition being that current be supplied to the circuit of this magnet only when current is supplied to the vcar or train propelling mptor. The circuit of the relay magnet D, starting from a suitable terminal, indicated at b, through wire 12, solenoid coil 55, wire 12, circuit protecting fuses F, coils of magnet D, wire 13, to ground or return 14. When the magnet D, is energized it operates to rock a bell crank lever one arm 36, of which forms a movable armature for said magnet and the other arm 35 of which carries an arm 32, `having a contact 30, coperating with a contact 28, in the circuit of control magnet C. Under normal conditions, with the circuit of relay magnet D, broken, contacts 30, 28, are closed upon each other. When the circuit of relay magnet D, is completed the arm 32, is rocked and the contacts 30, 28, are separated. The circuit of control magnet C, is also controlled coincidently'with theapplication of the brake pressure of the car or train brake system. rlhis is accomplished by means of a piston 26, operating in a'cylinder E, which is in communication with the brake system. A rod 40 carried by said piston is arranged to engage and rock apivoted lever 39, whichl is connected by means of a link 38, with a second bell crank lever 37, carrying an arm 33, having a contact 31, coperating with a contact 29, arranged in the circuit of magnet C, the contact arms 32, 33, are in electrical connection with each other through connection 34. Under normal conditions with the car or train brake mechanism released the contacts 30, 28, are closed upon each other. Nhen the brake mechanism of the car or train is applied the bell crank lever 37, is rocked thereby separating contacts 31, 29, and opening the circuit of control magnet C. Also arranged in the circuit of the control magnet C, are contact points 58, 59. The space between these contacts is bridged bya bridge piece 57, which is normally but yieldingly pressed toward closing relation to said contacts 58, 59, by means of a spring 60, interposed between said strips 57, and a pin 61, carried in the stem 56. This stem is connected at one end to a piston 63, operating in an air cylinder 64, and at its other end is connected to the core 20, of lsolenoid coil 55. The air cylinder 64, is provided with an outlet opening 65, having a control valve 66, by means of which the escape of air from air cylinder 64, as the piston 63, descends therein may be admay also-be provided with an intake valve The air cylinder 64,.

controlled connection GTAO ordinary arrangement, such as is usually employed in connection with air cylinder dash-pots. The stem 56, is provided with a pin 62, designed to engage the bridging strip 57 to cause the same toV be shifted out of' contact with contacts 58, 59.

The circuit of control magnet C may be supplied with current from any suitable or convenient source, such, for instance, as the trolley,'the car propelling motor when operated as a generator, or other convenient source. One terminal of the circuit of magnet C, is indicated at a. From this point the circuit of said magnet continues through wire 41, circuit protecting devices or fuses 42, wire 43, the coils of magnet C, wire 44, contact 28, contact 30, lever 32, connection 34, lever 33, contact 31, contact 29, wire 45, contact 58, bridge 57, contact 59, wire 50, to ground or other return connection or terminal 51. y

From the foregoing description it will be understood that whenever currentis turned on to the car propelling motor, and as long as current remains turned on to the car propelling motor the magnet D, is energized thereby separating contacts 30 and 28, and .hence opening the circuit of magnet C. At the same time the coil 55 is also energized thereby drawing the core 20, into the solenoid coil and thence raising the rod 56, and moving piston 63, upwardly or toward the open end of the dash pot cylinder 64. This movement causes the space between contacts 58, 59, to be bridged by the bridging contact strip 57. The closing of the circuit of magnet C, at this point, however, does not accomplish anything since under the conditions named the circuits of said magnet is opened at the contacts 30, 28. As soon hoW- ever, as the current is turned oii" from the car propelling motor the magnet D is deenergized thereby closing contacts 30, 28, upon each other. rllie contacts 58, and 59, being closed at this time by bridging strip 57, the control magnet C, is energized and the indicating mechanism put in operation. The breaking of the circuit of magnet D` that is, the arrest of current flow in said cir! cuit, by shutting ed the power medium from the car propelling motor also causes the solenoid coil 55, to be denergized and consequently the core plunger 20, and its con nected stem 56, and piston 63, begin to descend. The descent of these parts, however, is-adjustably regulated and controlled by the dash-pot 64, and its associated adjustable valve 66, so that a deinite interval ot' time is required for the piston 63, to complete its travel toward the closed end of the dash-pot cylinder. During this interval of timethe car or train is traveling under the inluence of its momentum. That is, this interval of time represents the coasting or and consequently opening the circuit of control magnet C.

Having now set forth the object and nature of our invention, and a construction embodying the principles thereof, what we desire to claim as new and useful and of our own invention, and to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

l. In a coasting indicating apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of trains orV cars, an indicating mechanism, means to put the indicating mechanism in operation, and means to adjustably regulate the duration of said operation.

2. In a coasting indicating apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of trains or cars, an indicating mechanism, normally out of operation when the car propelling motor is in operation, means operatingl when the motive power is shut off from the motor to put said indicating mechani'sm in operation, and a dash pot to control the duration of the operation of said mechanism.

. 3. In a coasting indicating apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of trains or cars, an indicating mechanism, ele3- trical devices for controlling the same, a circuit therefor, means to close said circuit to start said mechanism, and means to control the duration of the time said circuit remains closed.

4. In a coasting indicating apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of trains or cars, an indicating mechanism, electrical devices for controlling the same, a circuit therefor, means to close said circuit to start said mechanism., andan adjustable dash-pot device for controlling the duration of time said circuit remains closed.

In a coasting indicating apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of trains or cars, an indicating mechanism, devices to put thesame in operation, a dashpot for controlling the duration of action of said devices, and means operated by the cutting oil of current supply to thc car or train propelling motor for placing the dashpot in operation.

6. In a coasting indicating apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of trains or cars, an indicating mechanism, electrical devices for controlling the same,

a circuit therefor, means for closing said circuit, a dash potvfor controlling the time said circuit remains closed, and means 0perated by the cutting off of current supply to the car or train propelling motor for placing the dash-pot in operation.

7. In a coasting indicating apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of trains or cars, an indicating mechanism,

controlling devices therefor, means operated by the current supply to the car or train propelling motor for placing said indicating mechanism in operation, and a dash-y pot arranged to be placed in operation by the cutting off of current supply to the car or train propelling motor for controlling the duration of the operation of the indi-l eating' mechanism.

8. In a coasting indicating apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of trains or cars,- an indicating mechanism, electrical devices for controlling the same, a circuit therefor, means operated by the ap1 plication of the tra-in or car brake mechanism for opening said circuit, and means, including' an adjustable dash-pot, and controlled by the cutting off of current from the train or car propelling motor, for also opening said circuit, said dash pot operating to control the duration of time said circuit remains closed.

9. In a coast-ing indicating apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of trains or cars, an indicating mechanism, electrical devices for controlling the same, a circuit therefor, a relay magnet operating when energized to open said circuit, said magnet being energized only when current is supplied to the train or car propelling motor, a solenoid arranged in the circuit of said relay magnet, a dash-pot controlled by said solenoid, and means under the control of said dash-pot for opening the circuit of said electrical devices. A

10. In an apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of cars, an indicating mechanism, a magnet to start and stop the same, a circuit for the magnet, a normally -closed switch arranged in said circuit, a normally open switch also arranged in said circuit a relay magnet arranged to be energized when current is supplied to the car propelling motor to open said normally closed switch and means also operative only when current is supplied to the propelling motor to close said normally open switch.

11. In an apparatus for indicating the coasting or drifting travel of cars, an indicating mechanism, a magnet for controlling the same, a circuit therefor including a nor.-

mally closed and a normally open switch, a

relay magnet energized only when current is supplied to the car propelling motor to open t e normally closed switch, means also operated only when current is supplied to the propelling motor to close said normally sciibing Witnesses, on this 23rd day of Febopen switch. and means to control the duraruary A. D., 1911.

tion of time said ylast mentioned switch re- WALTER A. HALL. mains closed after the motor circuit is CHARLES V. HALL. 5 opened. `Witnessesz v In tesimony whereof We have hereunto MARION V. PERHAM,

set our hands in the presence of 'the suh- JOSEPH T. MITCHELL, 

